THE PERSPECTIVES OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TOWARDS SCIENCE AND SCIENTISTS AFTER PARTICIPATING IN ARTVIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CAMP

Year 2016, Volume: 5 , 237 - 240, 01.09.2016

Sibel Açışlı Çelik Hatice Kumandas

Abstract

“Artvin Natura and Science Camp” was supported by
TUBITAK in order to make science and technology-based learning more fun and
enjoyable. It is a project aiming to develop students' awareness towards nature
and science and gain new information about these two topics. The aim of this
study is to determine the perspectives of middle school students towards
science and scientists after participating a nature and science camp. The study
was conducted on 15 girls and 15 boys (14 6^th grade and 16 7^th
grade students) who were randomly selected from middle schools in Artvin within
the scope of TUBITAK 4004-Artvin Nature and Science Camp. In the study, a case study approach which is one of the qualitative research approaches, and a
semi-structured interview form was used. Results of these interviews were
analyzed using content analysis. NVIVO 10 package program was used in the
analyses. In the studies conducted, 30% of the students think that science is
“producing, exploring and inventing new things”, 17% of them consider science as
“explaining the unknown” and 13% of them think that think that science is
“learning new information or combining knowledge”, respectively. Students
describe their role model scientists as those mostly invented technological
tools and devices, tried to protect health and nature and facilitated the life
of people. Besides, students want to invent a phone, “which will never run out
of battery, receives signal everywhere and it can be charged through solar
energy” as a technological device. Considering the age group of students, the
idea of inventing a cell phone is very reasonable. In addition, the number of
students who want to develop a flying car and cancer drugs is higher compared
to others. In general, the products wanted to be invented are seen to be useful
for society and environment. Only 3% of the students want to develop
“undefeated warriors for wars and living creatures with modified DNA” to fight
in the wars. As a result, it has been seen that students participating in the
project think that science should be used for human interest and scientists
must invent products for the benefit of man and nature. 

Keywords

Science camp, middle school students, science, nature

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